A Wolf's Tale
by The-Gravel-Wars
Summary: Hinata, after failing to protect her teammates, meets a fortune teller who gives her a magical pelt granting her a great power. But there is something wrong with the pelt and soon, Hinata disappears. This is the adventure that follows. Wolf:Hinata Feral:Hinata
1. A Fateful Meeting

Disclaimer:

This story was not written by me, it was written by Etalfni on deviantart and writing(.com) and Benji-Blacksky on deviatart. The only changes to this story that have been made by me are minor grammatical changes and nothing to change the story in any dramatic way. This is a fantastic story written by several writers on deviantart and writing(.com).I am uploading this with the permission of the original authors, so please go support them.

The original version of this chapter can be found **here** **deviantart(.com)** **newest/d2zx7it**

The chain version on this story can be found by searching Naruto Anthrosized on writing(.com) and selecting options, in this order, five, three, three, and one.

Disclaimer 2:

I do not have any financial repercussions from this story or people visiting the original creators. I do not own Naruto or any of its' subsidiary properties. Any similarity to other stories, either on deviantart, writing(.com), or fanfiction is unintentional.

It was a chilly night in late winter and Hinata Hyuga was walking through a nearby town.

She had just finished a mission and was trying to forget about a mistake she had made.

She had hesitated in taking out an enemy and Kurenai had gotten hurt.

The injured sensei wasn't mad, but Hinata was angry with herself.

'If only I was braver, then sensei would be fine...' Hinata thought when, as if out of no where, a strange building appeared in front of the bashful girl. She ran right into the door.

"Omph! O-oh...What's t-this?"

Unlike the dreary colors of the rest of the town, this buildings was bright and illuminate. Neon lights covered all around it, displaying an image of a hooded woman holding a sign that read "Lady Xana: Fortune Teller Extraordinaire". Giant red arrows jutted out from the building pointing down at the door, making Hinata feel a little bad she didn't notice the building to begin with.

"I-I wonder what t-this is about..." Hinata opened the door and stepped inside.

The inside was completely dark making her think she would have to activate her Byakugan to see anything. However, a loud voice boomed from within the darkness, startling her. "Welcome young lady..." A row of candles lit up by themselves around a circular table. Two bean bag chairs were placed on both ends of said table, and in one sat the same hooded woman depicted in the neon lights over the shop.

"U-um h-hello...I must h-have come in the w-wrong door...excuse me..."

"Don't be ridiculous my child!" With a puff of pink smoke, the woman disappeared and reappeared behind Hinata. "I've been expecting you! Have a seat! Here, have some delicious herbal tea!"

Before Hinata could react, she was already sitting comfortably in the bean bag chair with a cup of steaming tea and the hooded woman had sat down across from her. She smiled at Hinata and motioned for her to take a sip out of the glass. It tasted like clumps of grass mixed with mud, and Hinata quickly spit it out.

"Too much herbs, huh? Sorry, I'll get it right next time...Anyway, who are you my dearie? No wait! Don't tell me...H-Hina...Hinata! Hinata Hyuga!"

"T-t-that's right...but w-who are you?"

"You read the sign outside didn't you? Lady Xana, Seer of Mystics! Madam of Foresight! Woman of Fortune! I am a fortune teller you see, and a damn good one at that. Now what brings you into my shop Hinata? Wait! Don't tell me..."

She paused for even longer this time. Her eyes rolled back into her head as she chanted some foreign words that Hinata couldn't understand. With a sudden jerk, she was back to normal and gave a soft chuckle.

"My dear Hinata...What happened back there wasn't your fault. Ms. Kurenai is a strong woman, and everyone makes mistakes...But no... I sense that is not why you are upset. It's deeper than that...You see yourself as weak...You always have. But don't you see? You have the will to change yourself. Naruto showed that too you. Still, you lack confidence...Perhaps I can help!"

Xana clapped her hands twice and a strange bowl of dust appeared on the table in front of Hinata. The dust looked coarse and dark, almost like ash. Hinata reached in and took a handful.

"W-what's this do?"

"Toss it into the fire and see."

She obliged, the candle in the center of the table cracked and fizzled from the dust. The flame suddenly took on a hue of blue and danced wildly. Suddenly it went out. Smoke began to rise from the smoldering remains, only it seemed odd. The shape the cloud took was too distinct. It was a wolf, howling in the air.

"You see Hinata? Inside of you is an independent wolf, longing to break free. You needn't be afraid of it."

The wolf disappeared, but Hinata was confused. "I-I don't understand w-what you mean..."

"Hmm, well...maybe actions would speak louder than words. Here take this..."

Xana then handed Hinata a white wolf's pelt. It came from seemingly nowhere.

When it touched Hinata's hand, the pale eyed girl felt...connected to it.

"Wh-what is this?" She asked curiously, now rubbing the fur against her arm gently.

Xana smiled. "It's the legendary skin of a she-wolf named Aerore. You know, according to the story she and you are very similar, would you like to hear it?"

Hinata nodded, intrigued by the fortune teller's words.

"Aerore was the eldest daughter of her pack's alpha wolf, a shy and timid thing, with tremendous potential. Aerore's father had disowned her after she failed to meet his expectations, and picked her younger sister to be his successor. Feeling great shame, Aerore left the pack and cried alone on a mountain, until she was comforted by a traveling male fox."

At these words, Hinata's heart began to beat faster, she looked at the pelt and could feel something deep and intangible exuding from it.

"After hearing her story, the fox had told her that she possessed true inner strength," Xana continued "and that Aerore had something special. Aerore fell in love with the fox and promised herself that she'd never give up and that she'd show her true strength. Years later they made their own unique pack, which was the most feared of all in their territory. Aerore lived a very happy and magical life, and died decades later after saving a few lost children. The people of the children's village then took Aerore's skin, and kept it as a testament to her memory. It was passed down from mystic to mystic, and now I pass it to you."

"Thank you, b-but what do I do with it?" Hinata asked.

"Put it on when you sleep tonight and tomorrow all will be made clear." Xana said, when the clock struck 11. "Oh dear, I must be going to bed, I'm sorry but..."

"I understand, good night and thank you." Hinata said leaving.

"Goodbye dearie!" Xana said, glad to be of service.

Later that night Hinata lay in her bed, her sheets kicked away from much tossing and turning the previous night. Slowly she opened her eyes to the new day. The sun had barely come up and she was the first one awake in the entire house. As she got to her feet, she suddenly remembered about the wolf skin.

"Oh my! Aerore's pelt! Where is it?!"

She frantically looked around her room, desperate to find what happened to the sacred pelt. It just so happened that she noticed something odd about herself in the mirror when she looked near her makeup set. Pausing to get a good look at herself, she noticed that there were whisker marks on her cheeks much like Naruto's. Two sharp teeth poked out from her mouth as well, she smiled to see that her canine teeth had grown tremendously over night. It was almost like she had become more wolfish overnight. Even her eyes looked different, her irises were thinner and more feral looking. There was something else too. She felt stronger, more confident. It was the feeling she experienced every time she saw Naruto. She smiled at herself in the mirror.

"Wow...I feel...great!" Brimming with energy, she hopped several feet in the air, flipped, and did a handstand. She was able to hold herself up with one finger and push herself off the ground and back to her feet.

"This is wonderful! I can't wait for today's mission!"

A few hours later, Hinata found herself skipping across rooftops to her team's meeting place. Hinata had decided to go exploring with her new strength all morning and didn't watch the time, so she was running late. She saw Kurenai in a cast, patiently waiting for her along with Kiba and Shino. Normally Hinata would have been too embarrassed to even look her teammates in the eyes for being late, but not today. Today, she had Aerore the Wolf on her side. She jumped high in the air and landed in the center of her team.

"Morning guys!" She beamed.

"Hinata..." Said Kurenai clearly confused at her new behavior. "You're late...and...excited?"

"Yes, sorry sensei. I decided to go exploring for a bit and lost track of time. But enough about that, what's the mission today!?"

Both Shino and Kiba gave their female counterpart a weird look. Kurenai on the other hand was happy that Hinata had such a positive outlook today.

"Well, since you asked..." She smiled. "Here's what we're doing today gang..."

Hinata had never had a better day than this in all her life. Not only did she not panic again when enemies attacked, but she even managed to save Shino and Kiba from harm. Even Kurenai-sensei had complemented her on her renewed strength and eagerness. But now, Hinata was exhausted after spending so much energy all day. She didn't even have time to eat before she went to bed. She passed out in the early evening, a smile across her face.

The next day there was a strange feeling of warmth when Hinata opened her eyes. It was early in the morning again, but unlike yesterday the pelt was on top of her! Strangely enough, it looked larger than before. Hinata could even see a head and feet. It was almost like one of those bear rugs one would find on the floor of log cabins.

"Huh? How did this get here again?" She looked over the wolf skin. "Wait, what's this?"

It was an odd white note tied to the ears of the pelt. Written in a fancy manner on the tag was, "To Hinata." Curiously, she opened the letter and read out-loud.

"I trust you already know what the pelt did to you my dear Hinata. You have taken the aspects of the great wolf Aerore, and are now more strong and confident. However, do not think for a moment that such a feat is without drawbacks. There are two rules you must abide by or else face dire consequences. I am sorry I neglected to mention them when last we met.

First: You may never, under any circumstances, fall under the light of a full moon. Doing so will curse you until the next full moon.

Second: NEVER wear the skin EVER. Once was all that was needed. If you are to wear Aerore's pelt again, you will take her shape. This of course means you will also inherit her vast strength and speed, but at the cost of never returning to normal again. There is NO cure for this, DO NOT DO IT.

If you need me, all you must do is whisper my name...

Lady Xana, Mistress of Magic, Witch of Wonder, Seer of the Future, Woman of Foresight, Master of Mind-reading-"

The lists of titles went on to the back of the note, causing Hinata to sweat drop. But this note had created a deep fear in her heart. If Xana had mentioned the side effects the night she gave her the pelt, Hinata would have never taken it in the first place.


	2. The Transformation

Disclaimer:

This story was not written by me, it was written by Etalfni on deviantart and writing(.com) and Benji-Blacksky on deviatart. The only changes to this story that have been made by me are minor grammatical changes and nothing to change the story in any dramatic way. This is a fantastic story written by several writers on deviantart and writing(.com). I am uploading this with the permission of the original authors, so please go support them.

The original version of this chapter can be found **here** **deviantart(.com)** **newest/d2zx7it**

The chain version on this story can be found by searching Naruto Anthrosized on writing(.com) and selecting options, in this order, five, three, three, and one.

Disclaimer 2:

I do not have any financial repercussions from this story or people visiting the original creators. I do not own Naruto or any of its' subsidiary properties. Any similarity to other stories, either on deviantart, writing(.com), or fanfiction is unintentional.

A few weeks later, Hinata was back in Konoha and things were going well.

Her Father was beginning to notice Hinata's new strength and confidence and had begun to train her alongside Neji, as if he wanted her to lead the Main branch once more. Also an unexpected result of her changes was that Kiba seemed to have a crush on Hinata, as he was flustered whenever she spoke with him, and stared at her when he thought she wasn't aware (but her Byakugan and heightened senses made it impossible for her not to know.)

Not only that, but it seemed like Hinata and Naruto were growing closer. The Hyuga girl was now brave enough to overcome her embarrassment around Naruto, which had caused an event which made her very happy.

It happened midday, at the training field.

"Hey Hinata, there's something I've been meaning to ask you." Naruto began.

"What is it Naruto?" Hinata asked, her heart began beating faster with anticipation.

"Would you mind...Y'know, going on a date with me this afternoon?" He asked, now it seemed like he was the shy one, as he blushed.

"Not at all Naruto!" Hinata said, hugging him. "So where will it be? Ichiraku?"

"Y-yeah, I'll pick you up around five." Naruto said, before he reluctantly broke the hug.

Hinata blushed as well and smiled even more, showing her wolfish teeth. "See you there..."

Once Hinata got home she squealed happily, and mentally thanked Lady Xana and Aerore.

She then began preparing. She picked out a nice, blue Chinese dress with gold trim, as well as a pair of matching cerulean heels. She also set out a pair of Obsidian earrings.

Just to be sure that she was perfect for Naruto, Hinata went into her tub and took a long, cleansing, warm bath.

When she got out and went to get a towel, she found that it was all gone.

'Oh, Father did say that he was getting the towels cleaned today...and I can't get a new one while I'm naked.' Hinata thought, before her eyes fell on Aerore's pelt.

'Maybe I could use it as a towel for now...That won't count, will it?'

The pale eyed girl picked up the legendary wolf skin and used it to dry off her skin, but contact with Hinata's naked body was all it needed.

Suddenly, the pelt fused into Hinata's skin, causing her to fall on all fours.

'Oh no!' Hinata thought, as she began to change.

First a tail emerged from her backside, much like any other wolf's, then her hands and feet began to become paws, as pads and fur emerged on her shrinking fingers and toes, as well as her limbs.

Her torso and main body began to get smaller, more streamlined, and finally her mouth and nose became a wolf's snout, and her ears lengthened and became pointed.

Finally fur grew all over, and a mostly white wolf was in the room. All that remained of the old Hinata was a faint trace of her old hair color in her fur, and her pale eyes.

"Great, can this get any worse?" Hinata said aloud, surprised that she could still talk.

Just then there was a knock at her door.

"Hinata! It's me Naruto! Open up!"

A shiver of fear went down Hinata's spine. What would Naruto say if he saw her like this?! She needed to hide! Thinking quickly, she jumped into the bathtub and closed the curtain. Naruto was beginning to grow impatient and knocked even harder on the bathroom door.

"Come on Hinata, you ready? Your father said you were in here and I don't hear any water running! You gotta be done by now."

He was coming in! Hinata held her breath as the door slowly opened. All Naruto saw was her clothing scattered around the floor. He was puzzled.

"Hinata? Are you in here? Answer me."

"Please don't check the bathtub...Please don't check the bathtub." Hinata thought to herself.

The gods were less than kind today it seems, as Naruto made his way to the closed shower curtains. It seemed he had heard the dripping sound of Hinata's wet fur. He grabbed hold of the curtains.

"Hinata. If you're in there, I'm opening the curtains. Don't say I didn't warn you..."

The second the curtain were pulled open, Hinata made a mad dash out of the bathroom.

"Wha-What the-?!" Was all Naruto had time to say, as he was not even able to get a glimpse of the embarrassed Hinata. She never stopped, even passing her father on the way out of the Hyuga mansion. This was probably the worst day of her life, she finally had the chance to go on a date with Naruto only to get cursed in the form of a white wolf for life. Tears were rolling down her face.

"Why did I have to touch that stupid pelt?! I couldn't leave well enough alone could I!? Why do I always have to mess everything up!?"

The same self-hate and loathing that she had tried so hard to run away from filled within her again like a wave of hot air. She wasn't thinking clearly at all. She ran right under the cover of the dark forest outside of Konoha, wanting nothing more than to be alone.

Four hours later, dusk had finally settled but Hinata was not even out of breathe yet. She had stopped running at least, easily miles away from Konoha at this point. Looking around, Hinata had no idea where she was anymore. All of that running had given her time to think. She realized that by running away, she proved that she hadn't improved in the slightest. Still she was cowering away from her problems. Nothing had changed.

The starry sky at least gave her some ease, she walked up to a nearby pond to gaze at her reflection. An unfamiliar face greeted her, but even she had to admit as a wolf she was beautiful. Her pearl white fur softly blew in the wind, along with her black mane. Her eyes were red from the running in the wind and her tears. Hinata was lost, confused, and angry.

This seemed like a bad dream. A nightmare that she was sure to wake up from any second now. But nothing ever granted her relief. She saw in the pond a full moon peaking out from the clouds. Lifting her head to the sky, she took a deep breath and gave the saddest howl anyone had ever heard.

"Why did this happen to me...?"

A voice spoke out from the darkness behind her. "Because, you didn't listen to the rules."

Hinata turned and was surprised to see what looked like a near duplicate of her current self, the only difference was the ghostly appearance and lack of a lavender-black tinge in her fur.

"Are you Aerore?" Hinata asked. The ghostly wolf nodded.

"I am. You are Hinata correct?"

"Y-yes..."

"I see much of myself within you, and not just because of the pelt." Aerore said, trying to joke. "But in all seriousness I am sorry for your loss, however there is a way you can temporarily take human form..."

Hinata's ears perked up happily "Really?"

"Yes, There is a pond, much like this one on the outskirts of your village. My mate lives there with my descendants, and he has with him a special drink. Once you partake of it, every Full and New moon, you will be able to take on human form from sunset to sunrise, however upon sunrise, you will resume your 'true' form."

Hinata thought about this, having human form at all would be better than being a wolf for the rest of her life, even though it would only happen for two weeks out of every month.

"But...How will I know where to find the pond?" Hinata asked.

"In a sense you could say that I am within you, so your body will 'remember' where it is. Just look for a stone shaped like me..." Aerore said as she faded.

"...Thank you Aerore..." Hinata said wistfully, before she ran to the Leaf's Forest...

Aerore was correct. Hinata's body seemed to move on its own, somehow she knew exactly where the stone was. With renewed hope and determination, she took off like lightning through the forest. She was already nearing Konoha in half the time it took to run away from it. But something on the wind caused her to stop. Her heightened wolf senses detected something familiar...approaching her fast! Thinking quickly, she dove into the nearby river and awaited whatever was out there to show itself. Naruto and Kiba both dropped from the trees above.

"Damn," said Kiba. "I thought I had a scent...but I lost it."

"Well come on dog-boy!" Yelled Naruto. "We gotta find her!"

"Cool your jets Naruto! Half the village is looking for her. You know how important a member of Hyuga main branch is, Lord Hyuga demanded the best trackers. We'll find her."

"Father..." Mutter Hinata to herself.

"I just saw her this afternoon...Dammit all to hell!" Naruto punched a nearby tree, causing it to snap in half.

"Relax idiot...Here I picked up something from this way. Hurry." The two set off on the path Hinata had come from, she took the chance to leave the river and head quickly to the pond. It wasn't far from where she was. In mere minutes she came face to face with a stone statue that greatly resembled her wolf form. A large pond and cave were behind it. She was compelled to go running into the cave, but instead proceeded cautiously. Darkness covered the tunnel but in the distance stood a small light. Hinata started heading towards it but felt something with teeth grab her! She gave a yelp of surprise when another mouth bit her on the back, she tried rolling over to throw whatever it was off when a bright light illuminated the cave. A giant orange scarred fox was walking towards her.

"Who is it?" Spoke the fox, getting a good look at Hinata. "...By the gods...Aerore?!"

Hinata had the chance to see what was biting her. Little gray and orange wolves playfully nipped her, each of them crying "Momma! Mommy!" The fox shook his head.

"This is impossible...That witch took you and...You look...different."

"I-I am not Aerore...I'm-"

Hinata could not finish, a cloud of white smoke began to pour out of her mouth. It began to take the shape of a wolf, it was Aerore's spirit. Her kind eyes opened and fell upon the fox, who looked shook up.

"My love..." Said Aerore.

"Aerore...What is going on? If that's you then who is this?"

"Let me explain..."

It was midnight by the time they had finished speaking with each other. Aerore introduced Hinata to her pack and explained what had happened with Lady Xana. The great fox growled at her name.

"A thousand curses upon that witch! She and her treachery will pay dearly for the damage they have caused!"

"I don't understand..." Said Hinata. "Why do you hate her? It was my own fault that it happened..."

"No Hinata, the first pelt she gave you was a fake. It was merely enchanted and boosted your confidence and strength. My real pelt was the one you found the next morning. It was her intention to curse you all along. She tricked you, just like she tricked me."

"W-what?"

Aerore sighed. "You recall that story? The one of me saving those children? I did save them, but it was from her. She kidnapped them for they were members of a respected ninja family. She had the intention of holding them hostage, but I foiled her plans. She then cursed me...into the form of the pelt. I suspect...you were another one of her targets Hinata Hyuga."

"But that's impossible! Who would want to target me?"

"Who indeed." Said the fox. "But this is not the time to think this through. You came here for the moon-water, right my girl? Drink from this. You have until sunrise tomorrow until you return to normal, use that time wisely to set your affairs in order. Afterward...You can stay with our pack until we decide the best course of option."

He handed her a jar of water with his teeth. "T-thank you-"

"Go, you're wasting precious time."

Hinata drank as quickly as she could from the container. The water tasted sweet...like lemon tea. She felt cooler, fur was falling off of her in clumps. Soon she could stand upright again. The snout and tail had completely disappeared. She was back to normal (though naked).

"I mean it, thank you..." She bowed to the fox before running as fast as she could to Konoha.

Daylight would be in a short six hours and there was so much she needed to do!

Hinata prepared herself by deciding what she'd do first. She'd need a plan of action before she just rushed into things. If someone was seriously trying to take her as a target then Hinata had to proceed as cautiously as she had before.

'Alright...I can do this, I should head to te village and stock up on supplies, and maybe send my Father a letter...But I need to find Naruto first.' She thought, her heart tugging. The eldest daughter of the Main Branch had worked hard to get closer to him, and she wasn't about to throw it all away just because she was cursed.

With her resolve affirmed, Hinata was ready to set out and find Naruto.

Fortunately, Aerore had used some kind of magic to turn Hinata's shed fur into a simple dress for her to wear, so she wouldn't have to go around nude.

Hinata then activated her Byakugan and tried to find Naruto. He and Kiba shouldn't have been too far off.

Hinata's kekkei-genkai gave her nearly 360 degrees of vision, and she could see things that were over 200m away.

The pale lavender eyed girl quickly located her blonde heartthrob, as well as her wild-man teammate and his pet.

'Okay, they're to the east, I think I can catch them if I hurry.' Hinata thought as she jumped from branch to branch hastily.

It took about ten minutes, but Hinata made it to her object of affection. He was alone waiting by a river and eating some instant ramen he had brought with him.

Even so the leaf's No. 1 Hyperactive Knucklehead Ninja didn't seem to be enjoying the meal. He ate swiftly and stony faced.

"I can't believe Dog-boy left me here to set up a camp while he kept looking!" He yelled to himself "I don't care how strong his nose is...I need to find Hinata!"

Hinata sniffled a bit. She was absolutely touched that he was this adamant about finding her. It would be hard for her to tear herself away from him after this.

"Naruto..." she said, stepping out of the shadows.

The blonde turned to see his dark haired sweetheart "Hinata!" He yelled hugging her. "What happened to you? I went by earlier a-" He began, when she cut across him.

"Naruto...I don't have much time. I need to tell you that...Some things have happened and I can't stay at the Leaf, but I needed to let you know I'd be fine." she said, on the edge of crying. Naruto looked at her and could tell that her leaving wasn't voluntary.

"Hinata, please tell me why."

The brunette shook her head no. "I can't...My time is short and I have to hurry." she said, before she kissed his cheek softly and turned to leave.

"Wait!" Naruto yelled, Hinata paused and looked at him.

The Jinchuuriki was certain that he didn't want her to leave again, not without him!

"Wait... Let me go with you! Whatever it is, let me do this with you!" He said more softly. "You can tell me everything and I'll do whatever you need."

Naruto didn't know about everything that was going on, but Hinata could see the determination in is eyes.

Hinata was torn. He truly cared about her, she could trust him. But she couldn't let him see her as a wolf, as a monster. Naruto would never accept her, not even her own family would. It hurt beyond belief, but she needed to do this alone. Naruto was slowly approaching her, his eyes filled with confusion and pain.

"I'm here for you Hinata, now please just stay."

She shook her head. But he gently placed both hands on her shoulders. His calm blue eyes looked deep into her tear filled ones.

"Please," He said. "You're an important person to me Hinata."

She would not be able to get away from him. There was only one thing she could do. With her Byakugan activated she struck him in the heart, causing him to cough out blood and fall to ground. Her eyes were being to hurt from the tears. Naruto looked up at her but was unable to move. She had only done enough damage to keep him from following her.

"W-why Hinata? S-Sasuke...and n-now you...w-why can't I s-stop anyone I c-care about?"

"N-Naruto, please forgive me...I will see y-you again the n-next new moon...Wait for me until then."

He grabbed onto her ankle and passed out. Hinata stood over him for awhile but had to leave, the night was growing short and she could smell Kiba returning. But in her heart, she desired nothing more than to stay there with him.

Dawn broke over the treetops of the forest. Hinata had been able to write a letter to her father and gather enough food to last her for a month. It hadn't been easy, avoiding being seen with squads of ninjas looking for her, but her new wolfish traits granted her superb stealth. The tasks had granted her some relief from her aching heart and she had managed to complete them all before the sun rose.

It was time for breakfast, and the great fox had bought a giant deer to feed the pack. Hinata, who had returned to her wolf form, stuck to eating the supplies she had brought much to the disapproval of the fox.

"My pardon Ms. Hinata. But you must learn to adapt to your new form. Eating human food as a wolf will not strengthen yourself for the fight against the witch-seer."

She wasn't in the mood to argue so she changed the subject. "Is there anything you guys learned about Xana?"

"She's moved from the lair you discovered her in, so we've been thinking of areas she could possibly be. The witch is not someone who pays no heed to caution. When we find her she WILL be expecting you."

Hinata sighed. "What should I do?"

"For now? Rest. Aerore told me you had a troubled night."

"She knew?"

"She is as much a part of you as your flesh and blood Ms. Hinata. What you know, she knows."

Groaning, Hinata thought to herself. "So no privacy, huh?"

"Go take a walk." Spoke the fox. "Some adjusting and exploring might take your mind off things."

She happily obliged and set out into the woods.

As Hinata romped around the forest she began to feel free and alive.

Running through the trees as swiftly as she could helped her to forget her worries, if only for awhile. As the white wolf with black hair ran she heard someone screaming.

"Please, someone help me!" a feminine voice cried out.

"Shut it brat! No one's gonna save you." A man's voice boomed.

"Now come along and we won't harm you." another man said.

Hinata headed towards the noise and saw a young, eight year old with green hair being harassed by two men with knives.

One was big and burly, while the other looked lean and calculating.

The burly one had the girl by her arms.

"Lemme go!" the child cried pitifully.

Hinata was about to rush in, but realized that this might be a trap.

'Even so... I can't leave a girl to get hurt.' Hinata thought.

"Boss, this little pipsqueak isn't going quietly." Said the larger man. "Should I 'convince her' a bit?"

The thin one sighed. "Only her legs Yasuo. The hag wanted the girl alive."

Yasuo laughed sinisterly as he brought the knife up to slice at the poor girl's legs. Hinata couldn't stand by any longer, she jumped out of the forest to attack. Her sudden appearance startled Yasuo and the young girl took the opportunity to her advantage. It seemed she was a skilled fighter as she was able to disarm the burly man before delivering a swift kick to his groin. While Yasuo doubled over in pain, Hinata charged at the thinner man who looked positively frightened. He guarded himself from Hinata's teeth as she violently bit down on his arm. With the ferocity of a true wolf, she easily picked up the man with her teeth and tossed him aside.

"S-shit, Yasuo run!"

But the girl was already sitting on top of the giant man, giggling away with a knife pointed at his neck. The skinny man cursed again and took off, his arm was badly maimed so Hinata let him go. The girl began to tie up the fallen giant before turning to Hinata.

"Aerore! I knew I'd find you eventually! The old hag wouldn't have gotten rid of you that easy!" She gave Hinata a giant hug.

"U-uh, I'm not Aerore..."

"A-and that's what happened Lady Xana..." Said the man.

Xana merely laughed, preparing a cup of tea. "I know that already; for I, Lady Xana, Witch of Myth, Hag of Knowledge know what you know. I merely sent you and Yasou out to find where that little wolf had been hiding. I knew the girl would lead me right to her, she's so inspired by Aerore the Mutt after all."

Xana poured a packet into the cup and handed it to the bleeding man. "Here have some tea. It will make the pain of your wounds end faster."

"T-thank you m-my lady." He took a sip. "W-what do we do now?"

"We? You mean 'I'. I will find a way to lure out the Hyuga girl. I never expected her to flee to the safety of that mutt's pack. You, on the other hand don't need to do anything...ever again."

The man suddenly started coughed blood. Hacking, he collapsed to the floor. Xana laughed again.

"Too much poison, huh? Sorry, I'll get that right next time..."

Hinata couldn't explain to the girl who she was and what happened to Aerore. She figured the best course of option would be to return to the great fox and have him tell her everything. Hinata was surprisingly able to carry both the girl and the giant man on her back with ease and made it back to the cave in no time. The girl seemed familiar with the fox and cubs as well, hugging them all when she saw them. Explanations began and the girl was properly introduced to Hinata.

"I'm Kohana! It's a pleasure to meet you Hinata Hyuga."

"Um, it's nice to meet you too..."

"She's one of the children that witch was after." Said the Aerore's mate. "A member of a royal family from the north and a skilled fighter...and thief." The girl giggled. "Kohana witnessed Xana's curse upon Aerore."

"Yea, I thought it was odd that you looked so much like Aerore. You're cursed by the hag too huh? I'm sorry to hear that."

"It's alright..." said Hinata.

"Why did you come here, Kohana?" Spoke the fox in an angered tone. "That witch could have been following you, you know. We're trying to find a way to fight her without her realizing it. You could have single handedly jeopardized our chances!"

The great fox seemed to do a good job of scaring her. "S-sorry Mr. Vulpes...I j-just wanted to s-see Aerore again...Besides, we found someone working for her..."

Vulpes turned his attention to the unconscious man still tied up in the corner of the cave. He smiled.

"So you have...Shall we find out what he knows?"


	3. Family Reunion

Disclaimer:

This story was not written by me, it was written by Etalfni on DeviantArt and writing(.com) and Benji-Blacksky on DeviantArt. The only changes to this story that have been made by me are minor grammatical changes and nothing to change the story in any dramatic way. This is a fantastic story written by several writers on DeviantArt and writing(.com). I am uploading this with the permission of the original authors, so please go support them.

The original version of this chapter can be found **here** **DeviantArt(.com)** **newest/d2zx7it**

The chain version on this story can be found by searching Naruto Anthrosized on writing(.com) and selecting options, in this order, five, three, three, and one.

* * *

Disclaimer 2:

I do not have any financial repercussions from this story or people visiting the original creators. I do not own Naruto or any of its' subsidiary properties. Any similarity to other stories, either on deviantart, writing(.com), or fanfiction is unintentional.

* * *

Hinata, Vulpes, and Kohana all then went to the bound man who was still unconscious.

"Kohana, would you do the honors?" Vulpes asked.

The little girl smirked and delivered a kick to the man's stomach.

"OHH!" Yasuo gasped in pain as he awoke. He was about to swear, but the sight of a huge fox and the white wolf from before really scared him.

"Tell us...Do you know the location of the hag Xana? Vulpes growled.

Usually when one is tied up and threatened by wild animals, they'll comply with what you ask. But when it's by magical, talking foxes and wolves, they'll sing like birds.

Yasuo was one of these usual people.

She-lives-in-tent-in-an-abandoned-village-that's-a-half-day-away!" He blurted"She-told-us-not-to-come-back-without-that-kid-and-"

"Enough!" Vulpes growled. "That's all we need to hear."

Just then, to everyone's surprise Yasuo began to shrink and was engulfed in brown fur. His eyes turned dark, his teeth sharpened, and he grew a worm-like tail.

The brute had become a simple rat, still bound by the shrunken ropes.

Vulpes sighed. "Must be another wretched curse by Xana. Please untie him Kohana."

The girl nodded, thou she looked annoyed with being bossed around.

The fox then cast his gaze upon Hinata. "We now know the hags location, but I know she's expecting you. We should wait until the start of the new moon next month. It will give you time to prepare and get properly trained in your new form. I will be teaching you alongside Aerore."

Hinata nodded gratefully. "Thank you Vulpes...Vulpes-sensei." Hinata added.

The wolf looked to the sky. It was the last night of the new moon, so it'd be two weeks before she could see Naruto again.

'I'll see you soon...Naruto.'

* * *

Hinata had a very restful evening. With the knowledge of the witch's location, her mind was at ease for once. She didn't even care that both the cubs and Kohana were jumping on her to wake her up the following day, despite it being four in the morning.

"Ms. Hinata! Ms. Hinata! Ms. Hinata!" They all chanted at once.

"Mmf? W-what is it?" Hinata yawned sleepily.

"We're going to play tag! You have to play, Ms. Hinata! Promise you'll play!"

"Huh? Alright, alright...Let me just get some breakfast from my pack..." She hadn't eaten since lunch yesterday.

Kohana grinned and held up a brown backpack. "You mean this?"

Before Hinata could respond, Kohana and the cubs took off in separate directions into the forest. This left Hinata sitting confused in the middle of the cave. No pack meant no food. Her brain finally jump started, and she chased after the children. As she ran off into the forest, Vulpes stood smirking on top of the cave entrance.

"Did you know Hinata," He said to himself. "That children games are actually physical tests for situations in adulthood? Even a game so simple as tag teaches fundamentals of hunting and tracking..."

Normally Hinata would have just relied on her Byakugan to track the children. But her wolf form did not grant her use of her previous skills. She was virtually running blind through the woods. A smoothing voice whispered in her head. "Just relax Hinata and think, what are the strengths of a wolf?" She galloped down the forest path while thinking, something in the air made her realize the answer. Tracking! She could smell where they were. Kohana had the smell of fresh daisies, Hinata locked onto the scent.

Kohana was hiding up a tree, looking down the road for Hinata. Hinata was easily able to get the jump on her by leaping up the trunk and stealthy sneaking up behind her. She put one paw on the girl's shoulder and said.

"Alright! I caught you...Now please, can I have my breakfast? I'm starving."

Kohana grinned and showed Hinata empty hands. "Hehehe, I don't have it. I gave it to one of the cubs."

Hinata sighed. "Which one?"

"I forgot...Maybe Luna...or was it Yumi?"

It wouldn't have made a difference to Hinata, she couldn't even tell the wolves apart. She just groaned and let Kohana climb on her back. "You're coming with me then...We need to find them."

Hinata sniffed in the air. She was trying to detect the smell of a wolf. However, she could not tell the difference between another wolf and herself. She almost lost hope but then thought of something else. She homed in on the smell of a nice box lunch...that did it. The smell was coming from a clearing south of her. Jumping gracefully from the tree, with Kohana cheering, she took off to find the cubs.

Slowly, she approached the opening in the forest. The last thing she needed was the cub to notice her and run off. She took cover in a bush and peaked out, she was in for a surprise. Naruto was there, holding up the cub by the foot with one hand and looking at her backpack with the other.

"This is Hinata's backpack...Where did you find this little guy?"

Thankfully, the cub never said anything besides several yips and growls. He even pawed Naruto in the face when he tried poking the young wolf. Kohana pulled on Hinata's fur and whispered in her ear.

"Who's that Ms. Hinata? He's pulling Yumi by the tail!"

"H-he's a close friend of mine. Listen Kohana, he can't see me like this. If he does I could never face him again."

"Ohhh. I get it. He's your boyfriend."

Hinata blushed. "K-Kohana...please..."

"Why not pretend to be Aerore then? You look just like her..."

That gave Hinata an idea. "I have a plan. Just play along, please..."

She then nudged Kohana off of her back and took a deep breathe. The biggest give away would be her voice, she had to disguise it. Aside from that, Kohana was right. There was no way he could recognize her as anything other than a wolf. With as much calm as she could muster, she quietly walked out of the bushes to confront her lover.

"Would you kindly release him, Mr. Ninja?" Hinata tried her best to mimic Aerore's voice.

Naruto fell down in shock. "Gah! A talking wolf!" The wolf child in his hand was able to break free and happily hopped over to Kohana.

"Thank you for finding my...brother. I'm sorry if he caused you any trouble."

Naruto dusted himself off while Kohana and the young wolf chanted, "Yay! Sister! She's our sister!".

"Umm...It's no trouble I guess. He sort of found me actually. I'm Naruto, and I'm going to be the Hokage! Who are you? You look kinda familiar..."

Hinata turned to Kohana and the cub and gave a look that said 'Play along'. "My name is Aerore. And you're in our territory. What business do you have in these woods?"

"I'm looking for someone. Yea, have you seen a pretty girl out here? Look, this is her backpack I found it in that little wolf's mouth."

Hinata blushed. "Um, if he found it...It must have been here awhile. I doubt Yami would steal anything from anyone." The young wolf whispered to Kohana behind her "Yes I would..."

"Aw, well. You're sure you didn't see anyone then? I've been looking for her for days. Isn't there someway you guys can help me track her?"

"If it's been lying in the forest for a few days I don't think we can help you. Sorry Naruto."

Naruto sighed. He then took a good look at Hinata with a furrowed brow. "You do look familiar though..."Anyway do you mind if I stay with you guys for awhile?" Naruto asked. "I'm out here alone and I just can't go back to Konoha without her..."

Hinata blushed even more, fortunately her fur hid it. "W-well, I do not see it as a problem, but I must confer with my father."

Naruto smiled happily. "Thank you Aerore, I won't forget this!" Naruto said as he followed behind her.

"Yami, would you mind finding Luna?" Hinata asked the gray and orange wolf.

"But she's already here 'sister'." The cub said, and his real sister emerged from some bushes.

"Yay you didn't find me!" Luna bragged giggling, "But don't worry, I heard everything 'Aerore'." she the whispered to Hinata.

Naruto then looked at the two identical wolf cubs in awe. "Wow, so the two of them are twins?"

"Yup!" Luna exclaimed.

"Yup!" Yumi exclaimed.

Naruto then looked at Kohana. "But why are you here?"

The 8 year old smiled. "I'm their friend silly!" she said before getting a clever idea. "So...what was your friend like?"

Both Naruto and Hinata blushed simultaneously.

" Well...she used to be shy and quiet when I met first her, sometimes she'd faint too. But a few weeks ago she changed..."

"How so?"

"...She was more outgoing and more confident, I felt like she had changed herself for some deep reason. That's when I finally realized that...she was more than a friend to me..." he said on the verge of tears.

Hinata herself had to try and stifle a few pained cries. Kohana realized that her joke was hurting Hinata so she tried to console him.

"I know that you'll find her soon. I'm sure she's thinking of you as well."

"Y-yeah." he sniffled.

Soon they were at the cave where Vulpes looked on edge.

"Where is he?!" snarled the great fox.

"Where's who father?" Asked one of the wolf twins with concern.

"Silence pup! That menacing aura...Tell me one of you sense it! I haven't felt it since..."

"Wait a minute." said Naruto. "Your dad's a fox? I have a fox spirit inside of me." Naruto lifted up his shirt to reveal the seal that held the nine-tailed fox.

"T-the nine-tailed fox?"

"Yeah. Why? Are you okay?"

For the first time since Hinata had met him, Vulpes looked completely shaken. He lay on his stomach with his paws over his head. Muttering to himself.

"The fox lord...unbelievable...Let me tell you all something right now. The nine tailed fox is in fact...my own father." This of course had everyone in the entire cave yell 'WHAT?!' Vulpes continued with the story. "Back when I was to marry...my mate, he opposed us. In fact, the reason why our union was so strong was because we only had each other. Both of us were banished from our packs. Needless to say, my relationship with him has been...complex."

Naruto looked worried and waved his hands. "H-hey don't worry! I'm not like him!"

Vulpes got to his feet. "I know you aren't boy. In fact, I see something of myself in you. But enough storytelling. You were looking for someone correct? Who might that be?"

"Oh, right! Have you seen a black haired girl around these forests? She has somewhat short hair and pale eyes. Her name's Hinata."

"Hinata, huh...?" Vulpes thought for a moment, Hinata was mentally begging him to play along and not give her away. "No sorry. No one besides Kohana has come through these forests in a while." Naruto groaned and looked depressed again. "You're welcome to stay though, my daughter Aerore can show you to a crevice in the cave where you may sleep."

"Thank you Vulpes-sensei for covering for me." Said Hinata a few hours later when she had a moment alone with the fox.

"Aerore's spirit came to me and told me everything just before you arrived. You can thank her." They were both on top of the cave entrance, looking down at Naruto and the twins below. One of the wolf cubs had Naruto's headband in their mouth and was being chased around.

"He's an odd lad..." Continued Vulpes. "But I wasn't joking when I said he reminded me of myself. I don't think it's any coincidence that you came across Aerore's pelt. You do look so much like her...after all."

"Y-you think this was meant to happen then?"

"I honestly don't know Hinata. Something like this has never happened before. I do know one thing though...you're going to have to act like a real wolf while that boy's around if you want to keep this act up."

Hinata's stomach growled. "I am painfully aware of that..."

Eventually it was lunch time, Hinata was forced to eat raw deer with the wolf cubs while Naruto enjoyed the box lunches from her pack. Deer wasn't that bad actually, still Hinata would have preferred it cooked. She could only take a few bites before having enough.

"What's the matter Aerore?" Asked Naruto between mouthfuls of sushi. "Not hungry?"

"N-not exactly..."

"Want some of my food then? There's enough here for a week."

Hinata was about accept, but Vulpes gave her a look from across the cave. "No...I think I'll be fine."

Naruto shrugged and went back to eating. The twins were snickering amongst themselves.

After Lunch Naruto realized that he needed more supplies. He was nearly out of toiletries and water, not to mention Ramen.

The blonde shinobi then put his bookbag back on and looked to Vulpes and Hinata, as the cubs and Kohana had fallen asleep.

"Sorry you two, but I need to go home really quickly, but I don't think I'll be able to remember how to get here..." the blonde said.

"Well, what if Aerore accompanied you?" Vulpes asked, ignoring Hinata's shocked expression "She'll know how to get you back here, provided you show her the way to your village."

Naruto looked at Hinata, excited "Really?"

Hinata nodded meekly, but tried to sound as confident as she could. "Y-yes, I c-could."

"Gee, thanks Aerore. But you'll have to pretend to be my dog, otherwise some of the villagers might be scared."

"A-alright, I'll do my best." She said, before they left.

Vulpes looked at them "Now we will see how well she can keep her guise under pressure."

* * *

An hour or so later Naruto and Hinata were in the leaf village, buying supplies.

Overall Hinata enjoyed the trip. She talked to aruto as casually as she could, and actually found herself relaxing.

After that it was pretty much basic ninja training, like disguising oneself as an enemy shinobi with transformation jutsu.

Hinata managed to play the role of a dog well without degrading herself, and Naruto seemed to really enjoy her company.

Soon they had all the supplies except Naruto's Ramen. When they went to get it...

"Yo, Naruto!" Shouted a familiar voice.

Running up behind them was Hinata's teammate Kiba! Under normal circumstances Hinata would have been glad to see him. But if anyone knew the Inuzuka clan, they would know how close they were to canines! Kiba could even talk to his pet dog Akamaru. If there was one person in Konoha who would be able to see through her wolf form, it would be him.

"What do you want dog-boy?" Muttered Naruto.

"Is that anyway to greet someone after they've been worried about you? Honestly, I go off to look for Hinata and come back to find you coughing up blood face down in the dirt. Then you go running off into the forest! I thought you were dead." Kiba suddenly noticed Hinata. "Hm? What's with the wolf?"

Naruto shrugged. "I guess there's no harm in telling you. Her name's Aerore, she's from a pack of foxes and wolves I'm staying with while out in the forest looking for Hinata."

"You're still on that, idiot? I'm worried about her too, but she even sent Lord Hyūga a letter explaining that she was doing some important and secret training."

The blond shook his head. "You just don't understand..."

Suddenly, Kiba started sniffing in the air, like he had just got the scent of something. He looked around and began sniffing close to Naruto, who gave him an appropriate weirded out look.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"I smell Hinata...like she's standing right next to you."

Hinata felt a cold shiver down her spine but keep quiet, hoping Kiba would overlook her. Naruto held up her old backpack.

"Is this it? It's Hinata's, I found it in the woods."

"No, no...It's much stronger like..." He paused and stared directly at Hinata. She gulped.

"Crap! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead! I'm dead!" Hinata thought to herself as Kiba glared down at her.

"So...What's your story, 'wolf'? I've smelled you somewhere before..." Muttered the dog lover.

"Hinata." Spoke a soothing voice in her head.

"A-Aerore?"

"Just relax...Let me handle this. I just you to lend me control for a few moments..."

Hinata felt a calm breeze over her, like she was standing in a cool gust of wind. She couldn't move anymore, yet her body seemed able to move on its own. Aerore was in control of her body. She could feel herself smile slightly.

"Please to meet you! I'm Aerore!"

Kiba looked annoyed, strangely not surprised that a wolf just said something in human language. "Don't change the subject you damn wolf...You smell just like Hinata. Spill it, who are you really?"

"Naruto told you. I'm from a clan of foxes and wolves in the forest. Really, your nose must be deceiving you. I assure you, I've never seen this girl Hinata."

"I don't buy it."

"Well I can't exactly prove it to you...but then again you can't prove me wrong either. Right?"

Now Kiba looked ticked. "You little mutt..."

"Naruto, we should go right? You needed ramen and we need to get back to the cave before nightfall. Plus, we're kind of drawing a crowd."

People walking by stopped what they were doing to see Hinata talk like a human. The ninjas were indeed causing a commotion. Naruto seemed eager to go but Kiba grabbed him by the collar and pulled him aside out of hearing from Aerore/Hinata. He whispered to him.

"She's hiding something Naruto."

"What makes you say that dog-breathe?"

"My nose never fails me. Just be careful, okay? I've never heard of this pack before."

"Look, whatever alright? They've all been kind to me. Mind your own business."

Aerore had returned control to Hinata. Still, the shy ninja was immensely thankful for her help. She could not help but feel Kiba suspected her, but even so she had at least postponed the issue. Naruto didn't bring up their encounter around as they walked back, they continued to pleasantly chat with each other same as before. Vulpes was there to greet them when they returned to the cave. It was already turning red in the sky.

"Sorry we're late ." Said Naruto. "We ran into a friend of mine and got held up some. Where's the girl?"

"Kohana is hunting with my children in the forest for their dinner. Since you were with Naruto all day Aerore, I took the pleasure of hunting an extra rabbit for you." He pointed to the crumpled mass of fur on the ground behind him.

"Lovely..."

Dinner was uneventful. Naruto spent the meal telling Kohana several tales of his missions. The twins continued to giggle amongst each other at Hinata's eating habits. But she did manage to finish half of the rabbit this time, so at least she was improving. After dinner, Vulpes told the group a fireside story to prepare everyone for bed. Hinata had to pretend she knew most of it already, but Naruto and the children were all enraptured by the tale.

"And so...The maiden perished instead staying with her lover. All of the armies dropped their weapons at such a sad sight. Her sacrifice ended the great war, 'tis a lesson we all can learn. Sometimes for the greater good we must all give up something. But enough tales, time for bed."

"Awww..." Muttered the twins and Kohana.

They put up a slight fight but eventually tired out. The twins collapsed on top of Naruto as he snored a way. Kohana decided to use Hinata's stomach as a pillow and was fast asleep. Despite having only met everyone (besides Naruto) less than a week ago, she felt at piece. Like they were a real family to her. She closed her eyes, tomorrow was another big day...


End file.
